By OLANREWAJU AKOJEDE

Super Eagles player Nathan Tella on Wednesday dismissed claims that he had avoided national duty, calling the reports false and misleading.

Tella, a right winger for Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, made the statement at the Super Eagles? camp in London.

The 25-year-old, a teammate of Victor Boniface, said injuries had kept him from representing Nigeria despite winning the Bundesliga in the 2023/2024 season.

?I?m happy to be back with the Super Eagles. There?s been a perception I don?t want to play, but that?s never been the case.

?I?ve just been unfortunate with injuries, especially the last time I was invited. But I?m grateful to be here again, ready to represent.

?It?s a chance to connect with my roots, represent my family, and play for Nigeria. I feel proud to wear the national colours.

?I?m also happy to play alongside some of Nigeria?s best. It?s an opportunity to grow as a player and gain new experiences,? he added.

Tella acknowledged the difficulty of World Cup qualification but stressed the team?s determination to make it through.

He added, ?We know how much qualifying means. Although some things were out of our control, now is the time to put things right.

?We must focus, win our games, and show how much we want to be there. I?ve always wanted to play in the World Cup.? (NAN)

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